Reviews

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  ★★★½ review by davidehrlich on Letterboxd

  i liked the Chad.

  already getting the sense that Hartigan's instincts are too well-honed for him to ever make a bad movie. this may not exactly swing for the stars, but every beat is hit square and true, there's some serious magic between Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas, and it paints a wonderfully gentle portrait of what it means to become your own man.

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  ★★★★ review by Tasha Robinson on Letterboxd

  Note: This one isn't out until August, but Chicago can see it at the Chicago Film Critics Festival on May 20, with the director and star Craig Robinson in attendance for a Q&A. Which is why I saw it so early.

  chicagocriticsfilmfestival.com/morris-from-america/

  This film is such a charmer, and such a surprise. It's a slice-of-life movie with a little coming-of-age action about a transplanted black kid growing up in Germany with his dad (Craig Robinson). It acknowledges racism and stereotypes, in a gentle but pervasive sort of way, but mostly it's about a 13-year-old's relationship with a country where he doesn't fit in in a lot of ways, and how he navigates his first real crush. There are things here familiar from other adolescent-life movies, about dealing with bullies, and learning to fit in vs. establishing an identity, and the attempt to grow up too fast because it feels like real fun is just a few years of growth away. But the film acknowledges them in ways that feel fresh and specific, and the performances are particularly fine.

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  ★★★★ review by Buddy O on Letterboxd

  This might go under peoples radars. Please check this out if you're a fan of coming of age/romance movies.

  It's about a 13 year old aspiring rapper growing up with his father (Craig Robinson) in Germany. He's just trying to make friends, learn German and live life etc. meanwhile falling in love with a 15 year old German girl.

  Pleasantly surprised.

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  ★★★★ review by Dawson Joyce on Letterboxd

  Morris from America is a familiar coming-of-age story, but writer and director Chad Hartigan tells it with energy, heart, and genuine emotional resonance with the help of terrific performances from Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas.

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  ★★★½ review by Nick Da Silva on Letterboxd

  Craig Robinson's strong performance is the sturdy anchor of Morris From America, a funny, warmhearted, albeit familiar coming of age story.

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